Or 16168 (Oriental Manuscripts, British Library)

A treatise on the interpretation of dreams. The author's reference to himself in the exordium can be read either as bandah-'i ẓaʿīf Laṭīf or (less probably) as bandah-'i z̤aʿīf-i Laṭīf. The content of the work is attributed to the Prophet Joseph, whose mastery of the interpretation of dreams is described in Qurʾān, Sūrah 12. The subjects of its twelve brief chapters are as follows; as can be seen, they do not include all the possible things that can be found in dreams.

1) 1v-3r: Dar dīdan-i nūr-i Khudā-yi ta‘ālà ‘azz ismuh va dar dīdan-i Payghāmbar ‘alayh al-salām va Pādshāh va bāng-i namāz va qāmat (sic) va namāz guzardan va dīdan-i firishta va Qiyāmat va mahtāb va āftāb va sitāragān va ‘ulamā va murda va fīl va khandīdan va girīstan: dreams of seeing the light of God, the Prophet, other peopke, calls to prayer, the prayer, angels, the resurrection, moonlight, the sun, the stars, etc.; 2) 3r-3v: Dar dīdan-i zar-i surkh va sīm va āhan va mis va birinj: red gold, silver, iron, or brass; 3) 3r-3v: Dar da‘và va khuṣūmat-i tīgh va tīr va gurz bar dast-i ghayrī: quarrels, fights with swords, arrows, maces, etc.; 4) 4r: Dar dīdan-i gandum va jaw va zīr: wheat, barley, etc.; 5) 4r-v: Dar dīdan-i rawghanhā va sirka va shīr va jughrāt: oils, vinegar, milk, sour milk, etc.; 6) 4v-5v: Dar dīdan va yāftan-i mīva-hā tar va khushk: seeing or finding fruits, fresh or dry; 7) 5v-6r: Dar dīdan-i sharbathā va khwānhā va shīrīnīhā: drinks, feasts, sweetmeats; 8) 6r-7r: Dar dīdan-i jāma-hā rangīn va samā‘ va ‘imārat va miḥnat: coloured clothing, etc; 9) 7r: Dar dīdan-i chahārpāyān-i ahlī va vaḥshī va ghayr-i ān: domestic and wild animals; 10) 7r-v: Dadagan va darandagān: predatory animals and birds; 11) 7v-8r: Dar dīdan-i murghān-i ahlī va jangalī: domestic and forest birds; 12) 8r-v: Dar dīdan-i ābhā-yi ravān va istāda: running or static water.

Begins: ‘Basmalah Rabb yassir va tammim bi-l-khayr... al-Ḥamd... va l-ʿāqibatuh (sic) li-l-muttaqīn va l-ṣalāt va l-salām... Amma baʿd... Mīguyad banda-'i ẓaʿīf-i naḥīf-i lahīf Laṭīf kih īn Risālah-īst dar bayān-i khvāb taʿbīr az mihtar Yūsuf ʿalayh al-salām kih ḥukamā-'i Sulṭān Sikandar...’

Ends: ‘Va agar bād-i sakht bīnad dalīl-i na-aymanī buvad va mushavvash shavad. Va dīdan-i ra‘d va barq ṣadaqa badahad. Va dīdan-i āyīnah az tārīkī-i jahl bīrūn āyad va az ranjhā va ghamhā aymanī gardad va ba-murād-i dil barasad. Va Llāh aʿlam bi-al-ṣavāb va ilayh al-marjaʿ va l-maʾāb’

From India. Undated; 13th/19th century.

Large, clear nastaʿlīq. 12 lines. Red headings and overlinings. Beige paper of medium thickness. Worm damage at one point in margins throughout. 8 folios. 212 x 151 mm.; text lines 136 x 92 mm. Original limp covers in red-maroon leather.